


That Hitch of Your Heart

by cassiopeiasara



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Burdens of being a teacher, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, Teaching, quiet moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:26:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: They’re silly girls she reminds herself. They grow up and learn. Someone has to be the villain for them in their youth and Hecate knows how often it’s her.ORHecate has a hard day and Ada steps in to help.
Relationships: Ada Cackle/Hecate Hardbroom
Comments: 24
Kudos: 70





	That Hitch of Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [okaynextcrisis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/okaynextcrisis/gifts).



> A/N: Okaynextcrisis asked for a fic in which Hecate has a rough day with students and Ada comforts her. Thanks to rikubean for a look over! Title from the poem referenced here.

> Inhale-try not to remember how desperate
> 
> you've been for touch-yes ignore it-that hitch of your heart

"Child's Pose" by Brionne Janae

Hecate doesn’t care how they speak about her. Truly she doesn’t. They’re children without a fully developed sense of scope or idea of how the world works. For them, she knows, there is a clear line of good and bad. A distinction of for and against. 

She doesn’t care. It doesn’t matter that  _ how can she be so unfeeling _ and  _ do you think she’s made of ice _ are the most common things asked about her. 

“She’s clearly just made of stone,” whispers Patricia Peal after a particularly difficult third year exam. 

Hecate could scold her and she should but she freezes. All of the pupils empty out with a mix of proud and dejected faces. She doesn’t hear the door close or realize the lunch bell has just rung. 

_ She’s clearly just made of stone. _

It’s not until she feels the moisture on her hand that she realizes she’s crying. There are days when she can tuck it all away. These odd theories as to why she is the way she is.  _ They’re silly girls _ she reminds herself. They grow up and learn. Someone has to be the villain for them in their youth and Hecate knows how often it’s her. 

It is silly but as her tears persist, her resolve crumbles. It seems today is not a day in which she can be as detached as she hopes. 

“There you are,” comes a soft voice in the doorway. 

Hecate stands then and faces her rows of ingredients. She summons a handkerchief and frantically wipes at her eyes. 

“Hecate?” 

The care in that ever so gentle voice makes her want to crumble again but it is the middle of the school day and there is so much to do. 

Hecate takes a deep breath and turns. “Yes?”

Ada comes just a little closer and stops. Hecate is always so grateful for the space but this need to be careful just reminds her how odd she seems to the world. How distant. 

“Is there something wrong? We’re fifteen minutes into your lunch hour.”

Hecate shakes her head. “Just needed to tidy a few things. I’ll see you soon.”

Ada tilts her head and clasps her hands in front of her. Hecate knows from years together how Ada wants to touch her but she won’t until Hecate comes closer. Hecate wishes she had it in her to do so. 

“If you’re sure?”

Hecate manages a small upturn of her lips. “Quite sure,” she clears her throat, “you may want to hurry along. I hear there’s a fruit tart today.”

Ada bites her lip and Hecate wonders if she might push. She won’t blame her if she does. Ada nods. “All right then.”

Hecate feels her eyes well up again when Ada shuts the door. 

* * *

The day passes in much the same way usual school days pass. Hecate is glad of the routine. It not only distracts her but is enough comfort in some odd way. She is a teacher above all else and her pupils do learn one way or another. 

She was never going to have a demeanor like Ada with gentle smiles and lemon drops. Her snark was often lost on pupils unlike Miss Bat and she’d never have Dimity’s energy. There needed to be a balance. It’s what Ada always emphasized and Hecate exists well in it. 

When her fifth years file out, Hecate breathes a sigh of relief. Perhaps she’ll try out her new  _ Potions Weekly _ challenge. It did give her quite the satisfaction to send correction notes on challenges that were hardly worth the designation. As she rounds the last set of cauldrons, she finds a stray piece of parchment. She blinks back the onslaught of moisture in her eyes as she takes it in. 

Someone has drawn her with a cauldron barking orders while several students lay on the floor begging for help. The implication is clear and she’s positioned away from them. As if she wouldn’t help them all from some ever present danger. As if—

“Do you have some ground otter’s hair?”

Hecate sniffs and the parchment falls to the ground. She lifts her hand to vanish it when Ada rushes forward to pick it up. 

“Helga Hogwater is such a bully,” she states. Her voice with an edge reserved for the worst offenses. 

Hecate shakes her head. “It’s silly,” she starts but her voice cracks. 

Ada takes her in a moment then sets aside the empty bottle she’d come in with. “Take a walk with me?”

Hecate should decline. She is used to this after all. How many times has she been drawn as a demon or a shark or a snake? Something in her relents and she nods. 

Ada transfers them to the far end of the grounds. Hecate can hear the soft sounds of a creek nearby and Ada turns to the path of the bank. They don’t speak on the short walk. Hecate takes comfort in the familiarity of Ada’s presence. She’s close but not too close. They’re still in the eyesight of potential pupils after all. 

When they reach the river, Ada waves a hand summoning a blanket and a small bench. “Shall we?”

Hecate waits until Ada is seated then joins her. The sounds of the water and the sights around them help calm her heart and ease the tightness in her chest. 

“It’s not just silly you know?”

Hecate turns from watching a fox weave in and out of a bush. “Hmm?”

Ada’s hand edges closer. She stops before her fingertips can reach Hecate’s leg. “That it gets to you.”

Hecate sighs and looks down at Ada’s hand. “They’re just girls.”

Ada turns her hand up. “It doesn’t stop them.”

Hecate moves her hand to take Ada’s but settles it in her lap instead. “I’m used to it.”

“It doesn’t make it right.”

Hecate shakes her head. “Ada, if I broke down every time they insulted me, I’d never have a moment to teach.”

“Darling, this is one moment. You’re allowed it. In fact, you’re allowed as many as you need.” Ada scoots closer. “There’s no one here but me.”

Hecate takes her hand then and pulls it into her lap. She takes a deep breath as Ada’s other hand cradles her arm. She sets her cheek against Ada’s temple as Ada rests her head on Hecate’s shoulder. 

After a few moments, Hecate sighs. “I don’t aim to be some sort of nightmare for them.”

Ada strokes a thumb along Hecate’s bicep. “I know, dear. I also know that most of them don’t feel that way.”

Hecate squeezes Ada’s hand.

In their early years, Hecate envied the way the girls saw Ada. It always seemed so easy for her and Hecate had been frustrated because she understood so well how easy it was to be taken in by Ada’s grace and kindness. It had felt however as if Ada possessed some sort of secret Hecate might never figure out. She naively thought their cruelty didn’t extend to everyone’s favorite spell science teacher. 

“Yes but I doubt I’ll ever win a popularity contest.”

Ada kisses her bicep gently. “You’d win in my book.”

Hecate smiles and feels the tension of the day ease completely. “Your bias is showing.”

Ada shrugs. “I’d rather think of it as good taste.”

Hecate gives her forehead a kiss. “Thank you.”

Ada smiles, soft and easy. “Any time, darling.”


End file.
